Display and collapsible cartons



Aug. 16, 1960 F. J. SLOAN DISPLAY AND COLLAPSIBLE Filed Jan. '7, 1957 CARTONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 if ,am z

. IINVENTOR.

FRANCIS J. SLOAN ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 Filed Jan. 7, 1957 F. J. SLOAN 7 2,949,218

DISPLAY AND COLLAFSIBLE CARTONS 5 Sheets-Sheet 2' I/ v v f 6 INVENTOR.

FRANCIS J. SLOAN ,2 By @W ww ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 F. J. SLOAN 2,949,213

DISPLAY AND COLLAPSIBLEZ CARTONS Filed Jan. 7, 1957 I 5 sheets sheet 3 5 a5 9. U loo? 55 I /00 w 93 7 k &

54 m2 m3 99 5 99 m5 mg m w .10. C767 INVENTOR.

FRANCIS J. S LOAN g ax ATTORNEYS Aug. 16, 1960 F. J. SLOAN DISPLAY AND COLLAPSIBLE CARTONS Filed Jan. 7, 1957 5 SheetsSheet 4 IN V EN TOR.

FRANCIS J. SLOAN ATTORNEYS Aug. '16', 1960' v DISPLAY AND COLLAPSIBLE cAR'roris Filed Jan. 7, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

FRANCIS J. SLOAN W 'RUS.

ATTORNEYS F. J.ISLOAN 2,949,218 v DISPLAY AND COLLAPSIBLE CARTONS Francis J. Sloan, Springfield, Mass, assignor to Package Machinery Company, East Longmeadow, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Filed "Jan. 7, 1957, Ser. No. 632,837

1r (Claims. Cl. 229-28) This invention relates to containers in the nature of boxes or cartons, more particularly adapted for packaging fragile products such as eggs, relatively soft, thin skinned fruits and vegetables, articles formed of glass and similar materials, and of the type in which one or more of such articles are supported free of contact with the carton walls or each other.

It is an object of the invention to provide a box or carton of improved construction in which the article, or each article, if the carton is to carry more than one, is enclosed and supported between sheets or membranes of a tough transparent plastic material, carried by a carton forming frame, the sheet supporting the article or articles out of contact with the walls or frame of the carton which carry the sheets.

It is a further object to provide a structure and method of packaging in which the articles are embraced by the sheet or membrane, by which they are supported, with increased smoothness and firmness and which improves their display at the same time that it assures greater security and assurance against breakage.

A further object is to provide a carton, having the above structural features and advantages, which is collapsible into substantially flat form when unloaded.

Other and further objects and advantages will be made apparent in the disclosure of the accompanying drawings and in the following specification and claims.

In the accompanying drawings which show illustrative embodiment of the invention,

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a carton, embodying the invention, in open position;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the carton of Fig. 1 in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a similar View showing the carton of Fig. 2 partially collapsed;

Fig. 4 is a view, on a smaller scale of the flat blank from which the frame structure of the carton shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are formed;

Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showing one manner in which the blank of Fig. 4 may be folded to form the frame member of the carton;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view, on a larger scale, taken substantially on line 6-6 of Fig. 2, with articles in the pockets;

Fig. 7 is a similar sectional view showing the results of heat shrinkage of the article enclosing sheet;

Fig. 8 is a diagrammatic view showing the'manner of shaping the pockets;

Fig. 9 is a plan view similar to- Fig. 1, showing an alternative frame structure with the carton in open position;

Fig. 10 is a plan view showing the frame members of the carton of Fig. 9 in superposed position, its manner of collapsing being shown in broken lines;

Figs. 11, 12 and 13 are detail views showing the fastening means for holding the carton of Fig. 9 closed, Fig. 11 being a section'on line 1111 of Fig. 17;

Fig. 14 is a view, on a smaller scale of the blank from tates Patent i neda 16.19 1

2 which the frame structure of the carton of Fig. 9 is formed;

Figs. 15, 16 and 17 illustrate by successive steps the manner in which the carton is formed from theblank of Fig. 14; and

Figs. 18, 19, 20, 21 and 22 show the manner in which the glue may be applied to the blank of Fig. 14 and folded in a flat form to associate the elements for setting up.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2 and 6 thecarton is shown as comprising two open frame members generally indicated at 1 and 2 formed of cardboard Frame 1 comprises opposed side members 3 and 4 and opposed end members 5 and 6. Frame 2 comprises opposed side members 7 and 8 and opposed end members 9 and 10, the side member 4 of frame 1 and side member 7 of frame 2 being integrally hinged together along their adjacent edges as at 11 to permit the frames to be swung from the open side by side position of Fig. 1 to a superposed or-closed position as shown in Figs. 2 and 6.

The drawings illustratively disclose-a carton designe to package a dozen eggs and frames 1 and 2 are provided with transverse partition members 12 and 13 respectively, which divide the frames into cells 14 adapted to receive two eggs.

A sheet 15 of thin, preferably transparent, flexible, deformable, elastic material, preferably a heat shrinkable plastic material such as rubber hydrochloride, is'positioned, with reasonable tautness, over the mating faces of both frames with the frames swung open to position those faces in a common plane as in Fig. 1. The edges of sheet 15 are secured to the unhinged edges of the frame in any suitable manner as by folding the edge portions of the sheet over the edges of the frames and cementing or otherwise securing them to the adjacent side portions of the frame as indicated at 16. The sheet is left free of attachment to the partitions 12 and 13 or to side members 4 and 7 or their hinge portion 11, and when the frames are swung to closed or superposed position the sheet 15 folds along a line 17 which substantially coincides with the hinge line of hinge 11. Tapes 18 and 19, formed of plastic or other suitable material extend longitudinally of frames 1 and 2 respectively, dividing in halves the cells formed by partitions 12 and 13. Preferably and as shown, the tapes 18 and 19 underlie the sheet 15, when the carton is open, as in Fig. l, and their ends are folded over the edges of the frame end members and are secured thereto by cement or other suitable means as indicated at 20. For some purposes tapes 18 and 19 can be omitted or replaced by longitudinally extending partition members similar to transverse partition members 12 and 13.

The sheet 15 is formed with pockets 25 extending inwardly of the cells 14 on opposite sides of tapes 18 and 19. These pockets may conform generally to, or slightly under, half the depth and width dimensions of the articles to be carried such as the eggs 26, so that when eggs are positoned in the pockets and the carton closed as 'in Fig. 6 the sheet 15 stretches to tightly embrace the articles and hold them suspended free of contact with the frame members.

Frequently the articles, such as eggs, fruit or the like vary slightly in dimensions and the freedom of attachment of sheet 15 from the partitions 1213 and hinge 11 and the flexibility of tapes 1819 permit shifting of the sheet in all directions to accommodate the needs of the articles in the various pockets, thus distributing the stresses throughout the sheet. This freedom of movement of the opposed portions of the sheet tends to equalize the pressure on the various articles and minimizes the danger of rupture of the sheet around an oversized article or breakage or distortion of an oversized article. As later described, the freedom from attachment of the sheet to the partitions and hinge 11 permit collapse of the container.

The pockets may be formed in any suitable manner. As shown in Fig. 8 the carton frame may be positioned over a supporting frame 30, carried by a base 31, and including members 32 which extend inwardly of open frames at the sides of the frame members and beneath the locations of the tapes 18 and 19. The tapes 18 and 19 and sheet 15 may be secured to the frames 1 and 2, as above described, while the latter are thus supported by frame after which a reciprocating platen 33 carrying heated pocket forming members 34 is moved downwardly to form the pockets 25, after which the platen is raised and the carton removed from frame 30.

It will be understood that if desired the pockets 25 may be formed prior to applying the sheet to the frame. It will also be understood that where the nature of the article and the stretchable characteristics of the sheet 15 permit, the preforming of the pockets may be omitted, the articles forming their own pockets as the frames are closed upon them.

While various deformable, flexible and elastic materials may be used for sheet 15 the preferred material, as above mentioned, is rubber hydrochloride. This material has the desired flexibility and elasticity, and is also deformable under mild heat. It further has the property of recovering to substantially its original form under a short application of heat or a flash of more intense heat. This latter property may be taken advantage of in the present invention by so dimensioning the members 34 of the forming die, the extent of downward movement and controlling the length of time that it is in contact with the sheet, that after the withdrawal of the die the re covery shrinkage resulting from the heat left in the sheet leaves the pockets of dimensions substantially equal, or slightly less than, the average dimensions of the articles to be packaged in the carton. After the carton has been filled and closed, and sealed or locked in closed position by any suitable means, the package may be subjected to heat if the nature of its contents permits, as by passing it through an oven or heated passage, sufiicient to cause the sheet to shrink into closer, tightened contact with the article, as shown in Fig. 7, thus increasing the restraint on movement of the articles and the tautness or rigidity of their suspension in the frame, all contributing to the greater security of the articles during storage and handling in stores and markets. As will be apparent the tightness with which the articles are embraced in the finished package may be controlled by controlling the dimensions of the pockets as initially formed or the degree and timing of the shrinking heat to which the filled package is subjected, or both. The control afforded by the shrinkage temperature and time employed permits packaging of a range of articles graded for size, as medium or large eggs, for example. As stated the sheet 15 is preferably transparent so that the purchaser may inspect the appearance of the articles without opening the carton, a well recognized advantage in the sale of food products and other articles. If desired the sheet while being adequately transparent for inspection may be amber tinted or otherwise pigmented to afford protection against undesirable actinic effects of light. The structural advantages of the invention above pointed out will, of course, be obtained even if the sheet 15 is opaque.

It is desirable that the empty cartons be collapsible to a substantially flat form for purposes of shipment and storage. As will be apparent conventional diagonal collapse of the carton as by a parallel motion swinging of one side frame toward the other in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2 is prohibited by the fact that the sheet 15 is secured to the end frame members and presents the increase in the diagonal a-b necessary to such conventional collapse. This difiiculty is overcome and collapse accomplished by hingedly connecting the side and end members of the frames and providing the side members with hinges 35, on lines parallel to the corner hinges, and positioned in a plane P-P intermediate and parallel to the end walls of the carton, so that, when the carton is in closed position, as in Fig. 2, the portions of the side members on opposite sides of the plane of hinge lines 35 may be swung toward each other as shown in Fig. 3 and into flat engagement by the diagonal collapse of the portions of the frames on opposite sides of said plane as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. As will be apparent from the latter figure the distance a-b decreases as the portions of the frame at opposite sides of hinges 35 swing toward each other and the freedom of the folded edge 17 of the sheet from the side frame member 4 and 7 permit the sheet 15 to collapse as the carton folds to the substantially flat position shown in dotted lines in Fi 3.

lhe frames 1-2 may be constructed in any desirable manner but preferably are folded up from a flat cut blank. A blank 36 from which the frame structure of Figs. 1, 2 and 3 can be formed is shown in Figs. 4 and 5.

In Fig. 4 the blank 36 is shown as a strip of suitable cardboard cut to provide the various frame and partition members and scored to provide the necessary hinge connections between the members. In Fig. 4- the side frame members 4 and 7 are shown connected by a score line (shown by dot-dash lines) which forms the hinge 11. Extending from the ends of binge 11 the blank is provided with cuts 37 and 38 (shown in heavy lines). Cuts 37 and 33 are in part in the form of a zigzag or saw tooth cut as indicated at z, for a purpose later described, and the continuity of the cuts is interrupted by perforated or rouletted portions 1', or other form of breakaway cut, which will serve to temporarily hold the blank portions together for ease in handling. As is apparent from Flg. 4, cut 37 separates the end and side members 5-3 of frame 1 from the end and side members 9-8 of frame 2 while out 39 similarly separates end member 6 and partition members 12 of frame member 1 from end member 10 and partition members 13. The adjacent partitions 12 are spaced from each other by portions 21 connected thereto by hinge forming score lines 22 and adjacent partitions 13 are spaced from each other by portions 23 connected thereto by hinge forming score lmes 24. The portions 21 and 23 are subsequently respectively glued to the side members of frames 1 and 2 as shown in Fig. 1 to hold the partition members 12 and 13 in the frames, tabs 39 being provided at the free ends of the endmost portions 1213 of the blank for the same purose.

p The blank of Fig. 4 is folded to the form shown dia grammatically in Fig. 5 with the portions 23- 1 and tabs 39, adjacent frame side members 7 and 4, respectively. glued thereto. End members 9-5 and side members 8-3 are then folded to dotted line position, side members 8-3 being glued respectively to the adjacent portions 23-21, to complete the carton frames in closed position; the frames thereafter being swung open, with disruption of the portions 1', about hinge 11, as in Fig. 1, to receive sheet 15 and for the formation of the pockets 25 as pre viously described. In practice the folding and gluing is preferably carried out in a manner later described.

It will be understood that the number of partition and spacing members provided in the blank may be varied depending on the number of cells desired in the frame and that if a single cell is desired the partition and spacing members may be omitted. It will also be understood that if desired the tabs 39 may be of a length to act as spacers or may be omitted and conventional corner stay pieces used to secure the free end of the end partition member to the adjacent side member.

As above stated the box frames may be made in any desired manner and a modified arrangement is shown in Figs. 9 to 17 inclusive. The frames shown in the latter figures are folded up from a blank generally indicated at 50 in Fig. 14. Blank 50 is similar to blank 36 except that it comprises two strips 51 and 52 positioned side by side, each strip forming, when the blank is folded up, a hinged pair of three cell frames, which form halves 53 and 54, respectively (Figs. 16 and 17) of the sixcell carton frame, the strips 51 and 52 being connected together intermediate their ends by a score line forming a hinge 55 about which the three-cell or half-frames 53 and 54 may be swung into alignment with each other to provide the six-cell structure, as shown in Fig. 17 and later more fully described. Stated in another way, the six-cell carton frame of Fig. 17 is in effect made up of two three-cell carton frames, simultaneously formed from a pair of three-cell blanks of the construction of Fig. 4 positioned side by side, as a single sheet. Except at hinge line 55 the strips 51 and 52 are separated by cuts 98 which are complete except for rouletted portions r, or any other break-away form of cut, which will temporarily hold the strips together during the initial folding operations but permit subsequent complete separation of the frames except at the hinge.

In strip 51 of blank 50 the elements of half-frame 53 appear as follows. Side members 56 and 57 are connected together by a score line forming a hinge 58. Extending from the ends of members 77 and 78, respectively, and connected thereto and to each other by score lines 81 are: end members 82-83, side members 84--85, end members 86-87, partition spacers 88'89, partitions 90-91, partition spacers 92-93, partitions 9495 and end tabs 96-97.

The cuts 59 and 80, as in the case of the previously described cuts 37 and 38, and for the same purpose, include zigzag or saw tooth portions 2: and rouletted portions r.

The blank 50 sets up, in a manner similar to that described in connection with blank 36, to the form shown 'in Fig. 15, the tabs 75, 76, 96 and 97 being glued to the adjacent wall members 56, 57, 77 and 78, respectively, and the partition spacing members 71, 72, 92 and 93 are glued to the adjacent wall members 63, 64, 84 and 85, respectively, except at those areas which oppose the locking tabs 99 later described. The rouletted portions r which retain the half-frames 53 and 54 together are then broken away and half-frame 54 is swung about hinge line 55, as shown in Fig. 16, and into alignment with half-frame 53 as shown in Fig. 17, the end members 65- 66 and 87'86 being then glued together. As will be apparent this brings hinges 58 and 79 into alignment so that members 567883-8563 and 61 with the partition members form a frame A equivalent to frame 1 previously described, while members 577782--8464 and 62 form, with their partition members, a frame B equivalent to frame 2 previously described. Upon breaking of the several remaining roulette sections r frame A may be swung about hinges 58 and 79 into the same side by side position as frames 1 and 2 in Fig. 1 for the reception of a sheet 15, tapes 18 and 19 and for the formation of pockets 25, all as previously described. In practice the blank will be glued and folded flat to open as indicated in Fig. to the full line position of that-figure, as shortly described.

Preferably and as shown the blank 50 is cut to provide locking tabs 99 carried by side members 64 and 84 and formed in part from the material of the said side members and the respectively adjacent members 63 and 85. The partition spacing members 71 and 93 are provided with tongues 100 hinged at 101 which as shown in Figs. 11, 12, 13 and oppose the free end portions 102 of tabs 99 which portions are hinged at 103' and are formed .with side ears 105 hinged at 106 to portions 102. As is apparent the tongues 100 are of less width than tabs 99 andythe space between hinges 106 is less than the space between cuts 107 which form the tongues 100 in partition members 71 and '93. Thus the locking portion 102 of the tabs 99 and tongues 100 can be forced inwardly, as shown in Fig. 11 and at the left of Fig. 17, the ears yielding to pass the cuts 107. Once past the cuts 107 the ears 105 tend to straighten out and engage the inner face of the members 7193 at the sides of the tongues, as shown in Figs. 11 and 17 to releasably lock the frames A and B in closed position after the carton is loaded. To unlock the frames one has only to pull forwardly on locking portion 102 of tabs 99 and ears 105 will yield in a reverse direction on hinges 106 and past cuts 107 to an unlocked position.

It will be understood that the'blank 36 of Fig. 4 may similarly be provided with locking tabs 99 and tongues 100.

When the frame structure of, Fig. 17 is employed the completed carton may be collapsed as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 10 in the manner illustrated in Fig. 3,.

In the frames above described the zigzag or saw tooth portions z of the cuts 3738 and 5980 in the blank provide interengaging projections on the mating edges of the hinged frames (Fig. 17) which, once the carton is loaded and closed, grip the engaged portions of the sheet 15 to prevent or restrain further movement of the sheet in its plane. It will be understood that such projections may take various forms suitable for the purpose and may be variously located, but are particularly desirable adjacent the hinge of the frame.

As previously mentioned the frame blanks will'pr'eferably be folded flat and glued so as to set up as shown in Figs. 10 and 17 without going through the steps shown in Figs. 15 and 16. Referring to Fig. 18 a frame blank is shown flat, out and scored, as in Fig. 14, and provided with glue lines as indicated at f, g and h. The blank is separated, by the scored line 81--61 at c, d, and e into four sections as indicated at A, B, C and D. When, as indicated by the arrows in Fig. 19, section D is folded about line e onto section C, section C, with so-folded section D, so-folded about line d onto section B and section A so-folded about line c onto section D and the exposed portion of underlying section C as indicated in Fig. 20, partition spacer portions 71, 72, 92 and 93 will be brought into adhering engagement with glue lines h-h, glue lines g-g will be brought into adhering engagement with tabs 75, 76, 96 and 97, and glue lines ff will be brought into adhering engagement with the reverse face of partition spacer portions 67, 68, 88 and 891 The portions 87 and 86 may then be respectively provided with glue lines ii and k-k as shown in Fig. 22.- The folded and glued'blank as in Fig. 22 may then be longitudinally folded into zigzag formation as shown in full lines in Fig. 2.1 to break the partial roulette cuts which have held the several otherwise cut portions together after which the parts are folded together, around hinge score line 55, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 21, to bring portions 6566 and 87-86 into adhering engagement. The various members will then be in glued relation and the frame in the flattened position generally indicated in dotted lines in Fig. '10. The frame may then be unfolded to the full line position of Fig. 10 and subsequently opened to the position of Fig. 9 to receive the sheet 15.

It will be understood that the procedure shown in Figs. 18 to 21 is generally applicable to the blank of Fig. '4 or to blanks providing a less or greater number of article receiving cells.

While the invention has been illustrated with respect to cartons designed to package a dozen eggs it is of equal utility in' packaging fruit, vegetables, and other articles, singly, or two or more, to conform to marketing practice.

Since the frames are open at each side the loaded carton may be viewed from either side and the cartons may be stored in one position where keeping qualities of the packaged articles require one orientation, and reversed for display purposes, as described. 7 i

What is claimed is: 7 I

1. A carton comprising two frames open at top and bottom and hinged together along one edge for swinging movement to and from a superposed position and a side by side position with their mating faces in a common plane, a continuous sheet of thin flexible sheet material extending over the mating faces of both frames when said faces are in a common plane, the edge portions of the sheet being secured to the unhinged edges only of the frames, the sheet folding upon itself along a line substantially coinciding with the hinge line of the frames when the latter are in superposed position, and opposed mating pockets formed in said sheet to receive and substantially conformably enclose an article between them when the frames are in superposed position to support the article out of contact with the adjacent frame members.

2. A carton comprising two frames open at top and bottom, each frame comprising side and end members hinged together at their adjacent ends, the frames being hinged together along one edge for swinging movement to and from a superposed position and a side by side position with their mating faces in a common plane, a continuous sheet of thin flexible sheet material extending over the mating faces of both frames when said faces are in a common plane, the edge portions of the sheet being secured to the unhinged edges only of the frames,

the sheet folding upon itself along a line substantially coinciding with the hinge line of the frames when the latter are in superposed position, and opposed mating pockets formed in said sheet to receive and substantially conformably enclose an article between them when the frames are in superposed position to support the article out of contact with the adjacent frame members, the side frame members each having a transverse hinge intermediate its ends, said last-named hinges being positioned to lie in a common plane parallel to the end frame members to permit collapse of the frames about said transverse hinges when the frames are in superposed position.

3. A carton comprising two frames open at top and bottom, each frame including correspondingly positioned partition members which separate the frames into article receiving cells, the frames being hinged along one edge for swinging movement to and from a superposed position and a side by side position with their mating faces in a common plane, a continuous sheet of thin flexible plastic sheet material extending over the mating faces of both frames when said faces are in a common plane, the edge portions of the sheet being secured to the unhinged edges only of the frames, the sheet folding upon itself along a line substantially coinciding with the hinge line of the frames when the latter are in superposed position, and opposed mating pockets formed in said sheet to extend inwardly of each cell to receive and substantially conformably enclose an article between them when the frames are in superposed position to support the article out of contact with the adjacent frame members.

4. A carton comprising two frames open at top and bottom, each frame including correspondingly positioned partition members which separate the frames into article receiving cells, the frames being hinged along one edge for swinging movement to and from a superposed position and a side by side position with their mating faces in a common plane, a continuous sheet of thin flexible plastic sheet material extending over the mating faces of both frames when said faces are in a common plane, the edge portions of the sheet being secured to the unhinged edges only of the frames, the sheet folding upon itself along a line substantially coinciding with the hinge line of the frames when the latter are in superposed position, and opposed mating pockets formed in said sheet to extend inwardly of each cell to receive and substantially conformably enclose an article between them when the frames are in superposed position to support the article out of contact with the adjacent frame members, mating edges of the partition members being formed with interengaging projections and recesses for engaging 8 said sheet between them when the frames are in superposed position.

5. A carton comprising two frames open at top and bottom, each frame including correspondingly positioned transverse partition members and longitudinally extending flexibly tapes extending over said partition members and secured at their ends to the end members ofthe frames, said partition members and tapes separating the frames into article receiving cells, the frames being hinged along one edge for swinging movement to and from a superposed position and a side by side position with their mating faces in a common plane, a continuous sheet of thin flexible plastic sheet material extending over the mating faces of both frames when said faces are in a common plane, the edge portions of the sheet being secured to the unhinged edges only of the frames, the sheet folding upon itself along a line substantially coinciding with the hinge line of the frames when the latter are in superposed position, and opposed mating pockets formed in said sheet to extend inwardly of each cell to receive and substantially conformably enclose an article between them when the frames are in superposed position to support the article out of contact with the adjacent frame members.

6. A carton comprising two frames open at top and bottom, each frame comprising side and end members hinged together at their adjacent ends and correspondingly positioned transverse partition members hinged at their ends to the adjacent side frame members to separate the frames into article receiving cells, the frames being hinged together along one edge for swinging movement to and from a superposed position and a side by side position with their mating faces in a common plane, a continuous sheet of thin flexible plastic sheet material extending over the mating faces of both frames when said faces are in a common plane, the edge portions of the sheet being secured to the unhinged edges only of the frames, the sheet folding upon itself along a line substantially coinciding with the hinge line of the frames when the latter are in superposed position, and opposed mating pockets formed in said sheet to extend inwardly of each cell to receive and substantially conformably enclose an article between them when the frames are in superposed position to support the article out of contact with the adjacent frame members, the side frame members each having a transverse hinge intermediate its ends, said last-named hinges being positioned to lie in a common plane parallel to the end frame members to permit collapse of the frames about said transverse hinges when the frames are in superposed position.

7. A carton as in claim 6, the frame members being formed of cardboard and the transverse partition members being integral extensions of a frame member.

8. A carton as in claim 7, the transverse partition members being connected to each other by spacer members secured to the adjacent frame member, that portion of the frame member overlying at least one of said spacer members being in part cut away to expose the spacer member, and a locking tab extending from the opposite frame member to overlie the said exposed portion of the spacer member when the frames are in superposed position, the free end of the tab being provided with sidewise extending ears, the exposed portion of the spacer members being cut to form tongues yielding inwardly to permit the ears of the tabs to engage behind the uncut portion of the spacer member to releasably lock the frames in superposed relation.

9. A carton comprising two frames open at top and bottom, each frame comprising side and end members hinged together at their adjacent ends and correspondingly positioned transverse partition members hinged at their ends to the side frame members and longitudinally extending flexible tapes extending over said partition members and secured at their ends to the end members of the frames, said partition members and tapes separating the frames into article receiving cells, the frames being hinged together along one edge for swinging movement to and from a superposed position and a side by side position with their mating faces in a common plane, a continuous sheet of thin flexible plastic sheet material extending over the mating faces of both frames when said faces are in a common plane, the edge portions of the sheet being secured to the unhinged edges only of the frames, the sheet folding upon itself along a line substantially coinciding with the hinge line of the fnarnes when the latter are in superposed position, and opposed mating pockets formed in said sheet to extend inwardly of each cell to receive and substantially conformably enclose an article between them when the frames are in superposed position to support the article out of contact with the adjacent frame members, the side frame members each having a transverse hinge intermediate its ends, said lastnamed hinges being positioned to lie in a common plane parallel to the end frame members to permit collapse of the frames about said transverse hinges when the frames are in superposed position.

:10. A carton as in claim 9, the tapes being secured to said sheet.

11. A carton comprising two frames open at top and bottom, each frame comprising side and end members hinged together at their adjacent ends and correspondingly positioned transverse partition members hinged at 10 their ends to the adjacent side frame members and each other by spacer members, that portion of the frame member overlying at least one of said spacer members being in part cut away to expose the spacer member, and a locking tab extending from the opposite frame member to overlie the said exposed portion of the spacer member when the frames are in superposed position, the free end of the tab being provided with sidewise-extending ears, the exposed portion of the spacer members being out to form tongues yielding inwardly to permit the ears of the tabs to engage 'behind the uncut portion of the spacer member to releasably lock the frames in superposed relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

